A Chinese navy helicopter hovered over a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel as China's monster ship lingered in Philippine waters. Footage shows the People's Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) aircraft with tail number 47 circling above the PCG BRP Cabra monitoring the gargantuan China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5901 some 70 nautical miles off Zambales province on January 7.

The Philippines has accused a giant Chinese coast guard vessel it dubbed as the “Monster” of maintaining an “illegal presence” in its exclusive economic zone as Beijing ramps up activities in the disputed South China Sea.

The Philippines mobilised its air and sea assets in its economic exclusive zone after accusing China of intimidation with the deployment of a “monster” Chinese coast guard vessel. Manila raised an alarm over China’s deployment of the 12,

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said China deployed a People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) helicopter while Filipino forces were monitoring the Chinese "monster ship" in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The PCG has been monitoring the "monster ship" since last Saturday, when it was spotted by the Dark Vessel Detection system 54 nautical miles off Capones Island in Zambales.

Malacaang expresses "grave concern" over the presence of China's so-called monster ship off the coast of Zambales, adding that the Philippines is actively challenging its presence.